The Wrong Side of the Hall
by XXxlovebreaksthebrokenxXX
Summary: Lily always says that it's wrong to judge people. But after this sorting, whose getting judged now? Scorpius/Lily, told from both POVs
1. New World

_**INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS (LILY & SCORPIUS i AND ii): MEETING**_

"_Well actually, I've got friends who __**(la-la-la lie)**_

_Will help me pull through __**(la-la-la lie, la la-la-lie)**_

_The song for a long goodbye…"_

_-Jack's Mannequin_

"Mummy, I'm scared," eleven-year-old Lily Potter whispered to her mother as she walked toward the barrier of platform nine and three quarters. "What if they don't sort me at all and they send me home 'cuz I'm a failure?"

"Lily, you are not a failure. You'll be just fine, I promise," Ginny reassured her youngest child, just as she had the two boys before her. "Everyone's scared their first few days, but it turns out okay in the end."

"But what if I'm in the wrong house?" Lily whimpered, dragging her trunk slowly toward the train.

"There is no wrong house, love," she said patiently. "We'll all love you no matter what. Now, let's go say goodbye to your father and get you on the train."

"But Mummy, what if nobody likes me 'cuz I'm a freak?"

"You're not a freak, Lily. You are a bit different from the other children, but that doesn't make you a freak."

"Mum, I'm only 11 and I already have black an' auburn low-lights in my hair. Most kids don't even know what low-lights are. Even by muggle standards I'm freakish." They began to walk toward the place on the other side of the smoke, where her two older brothers stood with their father.

That was when she saw him. The boy that would change everything. He had messy blonde hair that hung over one of his eyes and a pale, pointed face. His eyes were dark and cool, filled to the brim with mischief, and most of all, shockingly pretty by Lily's standards. He was on the thin side, small and slight, and had a strangely dark look to him. Moreover, he was staring straight at her. Her oldest brother James took this moment to sling his arm around her shoulders.

"Why is Scorpius Malfoy gawking at my baby sister?" he asked the general public, much louder than necessary. The boy blushed across the platform and looked away. Lily grew rather flushed in the face and smacked her brother.

"Shut up, James," she muttered, pushing him away. He ignored her, lifting her trunk off the station floor.

"Let's go," he said to her, walking toward the train, "we don't want to be left behind." She followed him, making an irritated face.

"James, I can take care of myself! I'm eleven years old." She scowled darkly.

"You'll always be my baby sister, Bitsy," he teased, tugging at a lock of her hair. "Bye Mum, bye Dad!" he called casually back behind them. Lily dashed back to her parents, throwing her arms around them both.

"I love you," she whispered, tears leaking from her eyes.

"I thought you were so excited to go to Hogwarts," her father said softly. "Don't worry, Bitsy, it's not so bad. The boys survived. Just stay out of trouble."

"You mean away from the Slytherins?"

"No, I mean stay away from trouble. Slytherins don't always constitute as trouble, Lily," he told her. "Just don't do anything you wouldn't want me to find out about, okay?"

She smiled at him. "Okay, Daddy." She sniffled then followed James onto train. As they boarded, Albus followed them quietly.

"Don't worry, Lils, they'll be okay without us," he said to her softly.

She smiled. "Thanks, Al."

"No problem," he replied, before passing her in the corridor and disappearing. James turned to her.

"There's an empty compartment right over here. You can sit there, I guess. Maybe some of your little friends will be along," he told her, sliding the door open and wrestling her trunk into the overhead compartment. "I'm going to sit with _my_ friends. Don't do anything stupid and embarrass me." And with that, he was gone. Lily sat down and made herself comfortable. As she was about to drift off, a voice interrupted her.

"Hey, do you mind if I sit here?" a familiar voice asked.

"Hey, Rowen," she said sleepily, "how's it going?"

"It's going," Rowen's twin brother, Damien, answered for her. Lily opened her eyes in time to see the cocky, brown-haired and brown-eyed skater boy slide into the seat next to her.

"Did I ask you?" she admonished him, and then laughed. Rowen laughed too, and sat across from her brother and childhood friend.

"So, how's the rest of the Potter clan?" she asked.

"You mean how is Al?" Lily teased. "Everyone's great. What about the Finnegans?"

"We're surviving," Rowen told her, her spacey blue eyes rolling toward the ceiling. "Mum's still a little odd, but that's because she's Loony Lovegood, and dad acts like he doesn't notice. It's normal. Starting Hogwarts is a little weird, though." She tossed her sandy hair out of her eyes

"Tell me about it!" Lily replied.

"What house do you want?" Damien asked her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She ducked out of the way and replied,

"I dunno. Does it really matter?" she asked.

"I want Ravenclaw. I could prove once and for all that just because dingbat over there is stupid doesn't mean I am," Rowen said, kicking her brother on the ankle.

"I'll be a Gryffindor," Damien told them both confidently, "because I'm brave enough to dive into a barrel of snakes."

"Some people would call that stupid," Lily told him. "I really don't know. My parents don't care what house I'm in. My dad actually told my brother that he'd be proud to have a Slytherin or Hufflepuff son."

"Our parents would be cool with Hufflepuff, but Slytherin? Really?" Rowen was sceptical.

"I'd almost like to be a Slytherin, just to prove the stereotypes wrong," Lily told them both. "Severus Snape was a Slytherin."

"So was You-Know-Who," Damien reminded her.

"Voldemort," she corrected him, "and I know. But does he have to be the rule? Are they really all like that? Somehow, I doubt it."

"You're probably right," Rowen told her, "but I wouldn't push it, just in case."

Lily shrugged and pulled a can of Monster out of her purse. "Your loss," she told them, flipping the tab and taking a swig. For the rest of the ride, they played exploding snap and had a great time. Lily forgot all about her wish to join Slytherin house. But the idea was still there, and someone like the Sorting Hat could still see it, plain as day…


	2. Spied Through the Smoke

"_She's cold and she's cruel but she knows what she's doing,_

_She pushed me in the pool at our last school reunion,_

_She laughs at my dreams, but I dream about her laughter,_

_Strange as it seems she's the one I'm after!"_

_-the Click Five, just the girl_

Scorpius Malfoy was glaring. It was not an abnormal occurrence, but he was not glaring for his usual reasons. Scorpius was glaring because of a girl.

He had been all set to board the Hogwarts Express, and was just saying goodbye to his parents, when he saw her. He just happened to peer through the smoke in her direction and she was right there in front of him. A beautiful girl with long, red hair streaked heavily with auburn and just a hint of black, and pale skin like parchment. Her lips must have had some sort of lipstick on them, because they were the dark glimmering colour of fresh blood. Her deep brown eyes were rimmed dark with heavy black eyeliner, and the lashes framing them were long, and curled like clock springs, black as pitch. She was cute, with pale freckles and a sweet smile, but there was a passion in her eyes. She was one of those girls who were hell-bent on changing the world. Still, judging by her size, she was only a first year. Two years may not be much to most adults, but there is a major difference between thirteen and eleven. Still, he could not tear his eyes away from her.

Then James Potter had to go and ruin it. "Why is Scorpius Malfoy gawking at my baby sister?" She was a Potter. There was no chance she would ever talk to him. Damn. So he glared, wishing the world weren't so unfair.

Scorpius sat with his "friends" on the train, fellow Slytherins whom he hardly knew. They talked about generic things, like what they had done over the summer. Then, Natasha Bulstrode-Goyle suddenly said something interesting.

"Did you see that pretty first-year in the station?" she asked.

"What first-year?" he asked as if he did not care. She seemed surprised that he was talking, but answered,

"The redhead with the bloody lips, you know."

"Yeah, I saw her," Matthew Braider said. "She's a Potter, don't bother, Natty."

"Dead serious?!" she asked, shocked.

"Yeah, there's nothing interesting there. Just another Potter kid," Matt told her. Scorpius rolled his eyes and walked out of the compartment. No one called after him, asked where he was going. No one cared.

He wandered casually, not looking for anything in particular. He suddenly realized he was standing just outside her compartment. There was another girl inside, and a boy, with his arm draped around Potter. It figured she would have someone already. Then he saw her duck out from under that same arm, as if it irritated her. Maybe there was hope after all. He kept walking.

A girl stumbled out of the compartment just ahead and fell to her knees, assorted packages scattering from her arms. Without even looking at her, he gathered what she had dropped and handed it to her.

"Th-th-thank you," she stuttered. He looked up and saw Megan Kutler, the shy, maladroit albino girl in her second year that nobody talked to, pushing her glasses hastily up the bridge of her nose. She somehow ended up poking herself in the eye in the process, and winced miserably. Megan was a Hufflepuff, and seemed to be even more of a drip than the rest of them.

"You're welcome," he said, more kindly than he knew he could. Then, abruptly, he stood up and walked away, headed in the direction he had come, not knowing what he was doing or why. When he passed the Potter girl's compartment again, he heard something that stopped him dead in his tracks. He turned slowly to peer through the window.

"I'd almost like to be a Slytherin, just to prove the stereotypes wrong," she was telling her friends hotly, "Severus Snape was a Slytherin."

"So was You-Know-Who," the boy who had been flirting with her, said, as if she were mad to have forgotten. He sounded a little angry.

"Voldemort," she corrected him irritably, as though his fear of the Dark Lord's name was bothersome to her, "and I know. But does he have to be the rule? Are they really all like that?" She paused for breath, then went on, almost sarcastically, "Somehow, I doubt it." She seemed to overlook the eye-roll her friends shared at her expense. He had heard enough. With a slight smile, he wandered back down the corridor.

Scorpius re-entered his compartment, where nobody had noticed his absence, and barely anyone even saw him come in. It was almost as if nothing had happened. If he had not memorized what that girl had said, and her face when she said it, he wouldn't believe it had happened.

That Potter girl wanted to be a Slytherin.


	3. Strange, Strange Girl

"_If heaven and hell decide,_

_That they both are satisfied, and_

_Illuminate the 'no's on their vacancy signs,_

_If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks,_

_Then I'll follow you into the dark."_

_-Death Cab for Cutie, I'll Follow You Into the Dark_

The train stopped, knocking Scorpius from his joyous daze. He picked up his trunk and climbed from the train. He followed his friends toward the carriages; sure he was the only one out of all of them who could see the thestrals pulling them. Then, there she was, right in front of him. She stumbled, and he caught her. "Watch your step," he told her, "If you fall like that out on the lake, I won't be able to catch you." He paused, feeling her stiffen as if with fear in his arms. "Nobody likes sitting through the sorting wet." She turned towards him, first bewildered, and then a flurry of terror crossed her face, which eventually settled in an indignant scowl. His arms were still around her, and that made them both blush.

"Actually, I could go for a nice swim right now," she told him coldly, pulling out of his awkward embrace. "Thanks for the save. I don't need any more scars on my knees." With that, the young Potter flounced off to follow the other first years. Hagrid called her Lily. So that was her name. Lily. It rolled off his tongue as he whispered after her, to quietly for her to hear over the din. Then she vanished into the dim evening light, darkening as a storm brewed on the horizon. Sighing, Scorpius walked back towards his retreating friends.

As they settled in at the feast, Scorpius was anxious. Did she make it across the lake okay? She didn't fall in, right? And most importantly, would she be a Slytherin? He tried to keep his usual cool, uncaring demeanour, but it was hard.

"Blake-Sinistra, Edwin," called Professor Corner the headmistress. The hat bellowed, "Ravenclaw!" A scared, scrawny boy scuttled over to the Ravenclaw table, breathing deeply. "Bones, Wesley" was another Ravenclaw. Then Caraway-Zabini, Sloane was made a Slytherin. The rest of his table clapped heartily, but some others booed. Scorpius rolled his eyes. She was just a little girl, why couldn't they let her be? Lily (how he loved her name!) seemed to agree with him. She looked irked, glaring around at the older students. She was chewing on the inside of her cheek, just as she had been when he told her not to fall in the lake, and when her friend had talked about "You Know Who." It was cute.

"Finch-Fletchly, Seward!" took so long to sort that Scorpius spaced out. By the time he was awake again, Lily's skater-nerd girlfriend was waltzing over to the Ravenclaw table, a smug smile on her face. She patted the seat next to her, smiling at Lily, who then started gnawing on her cheek again. 'Nervous habit?' He wondered, and this made him miss the next few sorting. Worriedly, he made sure that she was still waiting. There she was, watching "Lynx, Madigan," learn that she was Slytherin material. Suddenly, her face seemed determined. After Larkspur, Kyle," went on his merry way to the Gryffindor table, it was her turn. Scorpius tried so hard not to care, but…

"Potter, Lily!" She sat down on the stool, and let the hat fall over her eyes. It had not even sat there for a full minute before shouting, "Slytherin!" for the world to hear. The hall was silent. Calmly, she rose from the stool, and his heart leapt. No one applauded, whispers broke out, but she still stood serenely at the head of their table. Nobody made a move to let her in. She began to chew her lip again. Trying not to seem too hasty, Scorpius languidly slid over, giving her a space to sit, but making sure there wasn't enough space for her not to brush against him. He hadn't thought about the fact that she was dripping lake water. She smelled like a water lily. Ha! Leaning toward her as Timothy Pringle was sorted, he whispered, "You didn't listen to me. You're drenched!"

Lily looked affronted. "I'm afraid of water. I fainted." She stared at him for a moment, and he yearned to see into her head, to understand her mind. "Thanks for the heads up. I didn't know we'd be on the lake until you told me not to fall in. If I hadn't found out, I'd have really panicked," she told him in an awkward rush.

He rolled his eyes, trying hard not to let her see how much he loved her voice, then said sarcastically, "Hopefully you won't drown in your soup." She scowled again. Easily angered, this one. He'd remember that. As the sorting progressed, he watched her stare at her empty plate, tears gathering in her eyes. The other Slytherins were gawking openly at her. When the feast started, he passed her food before she asked, making sure to keep all the good food within her reach, giving her more of whatever she seemed to enjoy. It surprised him to see she was a vegetarian, refusing to even touch the glorious-looking sausage pie. She also wasn't afraid of the Bloody Baron. When he seated himself on her other side, and began to gaze vacantly at the Ravenclaw table, she squinted toward whatever he was watching, then told him, "She was selfish. It's not your fault." He stared at her, shocked. "Just talk to her. If she won't listen, she's a waste of time." The Baron floated off, still looking astonished, and Lily began to reach for tomato soup. Scorpius immediately handed it to her, then helped himself to some shepherd's pie and Brussels sprouts. What a strange, strange girl he was falling in love with.


	4. Drowning

As the train stopped, Lily, Damien, and Rowan gathered their things and made their way rather meekly off the train. Although the three had made a pact to "run this place," as their parents had years before, they were still rather afraid. Lily took the lead, heading towards the ever-present Hagrid who was shouting, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here, don't be shy. Come on now!" As confident as she seemed, Lily was terrified, and in a rush to get to a familiar adult. As she speeded across the uneven ground, she stumbled, and suddenly there were slim but strong arms tight around here waist.

"Watch your step," a voice said from behind her, "If you fall like that out on the lake, I won't be able to catch you." She tensed, trying to figure out who was holding her. "Nobody likes sitting through the sorting wet." Lily whipped around, then analyzed what had been said to her. Lake? No one had told her about crossing a lake! Water terrified Lily, she couldn't even swim!

But this was the boy from the station. Scorpius Malfoy, James had called him. She didn't want him to think her childish, or feel like she was someone to tease. So she mustered all her courage and said coldly, "Actually, I could go for a nice swim right now." She tugged herself out of his helping arms. "Thanks for the save. I don't need any more scars on my knees." Then with as much dignity as she could muster, she spun on here heel and flounced away after Damien and Rowan, only looking back when she was sure he had moved on.

Soon, they reached the shore of a vast lake. Lily shivered, and Rowan looked at her with concern. "You gonna be okay love?" she asked.

Without looking away from the water, Lily nodded slowly. Ro took her hand and led her to the boat nearest to Hagrid, and the two girls climbed aboard, followed by Damien, who was oblivious to Lily's fear.

As the first-years began to cross the lake, the wind picked up. Small waves grew larger and began to form whitecaps. "Firs' years, stick together!" Hagrid shouted over the sound of the wind and water. Suddenly Lily's boat began to toss violently. Damien and Rowan had the sense to hold on, as did little Chrysinthea Meridian. Lily, on the other hand, was shaking in pure terror and not paying much attention. So naturally, she was tossed overboard.

_Drat, _Lily thought, then irrationally, _Scorpius was right._ The water was rather cold, and shocked the air right out of her. As she sank below the waves like a stone, something thick and rubbery wound around her waist and shoved her towards the air above. As her face broke the surface, she heard voices calling her name frantically, from ahead of her in the dark. She struggled to remember what her father had told her when she was small, before The Incident, when she'd learned to tread water.

_Just like riding a muggle bike, Bitsy. Kick those legs below you and dig in front of you with your hands. That's it love._

Maybe it was a strong childhood memory, or a hallucination due to fear and cold, but Lily heard her father's voice and did just as he said. Moments later, Hagrid was pulling her out of the water and wrapping her up in his enormous coat. "Yeh alright Lils?" he asked.

She spluttered, coughed, then muttered, "Yeah Hagrid. 'M good." She wrung out her near waist-length locks over the side of the tiny boat, then scrubbed the eyeliner out from under her eyes.

"Awright then," Hagrid said kindly, then pointed his umbrella towards the twinkling lights of Hogwarts and shouted, "Onward!" and the little boats continued on towards the school, still pitching and tossing in the heavy wind. It was cold, and Lily huddled towards Hagrid for the rest of the journey.

Eventually, the boats beached on the opposite shore, and the first-years struggled out, stumbling after their harrowing journey. Lily couldn't wait to tell Albus about her dip into the lake, and her suspicions about what had saved her. Could it possibly have been the squid?

Hagrid lead them to the heavy wooden doors, and then knocked three times. Moments later the doors were opened by a tall and rather attractive man roughly Lily's father's age. "Good evening," the man said gravely, "I am Professor Longbottom, and I will be your Herbology professor during your next seven years at Hogwarts. In a few minutes you'll be sorted into your houses." He opened the doors wider, and motioned the first-years inside, then saw Lily.

"She fell in the lake Professor," Hagrid told him. Professor Longbottom nodded.

"Are you okay Lily?" he asked her, clearly concerned.

"I'm fine Uncle Neville- er, Professor Longbottom," Lily told him quickly. "Just cold," she added, then sneezed.

"We'll get you dried off in a second," he told her, waving his wand. A warm breeze passed over her and she found herself clean and dry. Then he lead her into the nearby room where Hagrid had taken the other first-years.

Rowan and Damien and Lily's cousin Hugo were on her as soon as she came through the door. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Was it cold?" they badgered, and Lily relished telling the tale of the tentacle rescuing her from her watery grave, enjoying their gasps and dropped jaws. Before she could fully bask in the glory of her near-death experience, Professor Longbottom had returned. "This way please," he said, and one by one the first years exited the room and headed towards the Great Hall, Lily and her friends nearly last. Lily's usually calm, unshakable demeanor grew flustered for a third time that day. Her heart raced and her already pale face drained of what little color it had. Lily followed Hugo through the entry into the Great Hall, and was astonished.

The ceiling was a deep purple-black with gleaming silver stars, and thin white clouds scudded by obviously pushed along by the heavy winds outside. Below this spectacle sat students, rows upon rows of students, waiting for the first years to be sorted so they could eat their feast (some more patiently than others). Between these students and the night sky were posted the banners of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Clammy and shaking, the first-years stood taking in this scene in shock.

"It's beautiful…" Rowan whispered in awe. Lily nodded mutely, then something dawned on her.

"Ro," she asked, "how DO they sort us into houses?"

Rowan shrugged, but Hugo leaned over and answered, "You put the hat on, and it looks in your head for what house will suit you best."

Lily nodded again. This made sense. The hat sat before them on a rickety looking stool, looking dingy and damaged, and yet the whole student body seemed focused on it. Suddenly, a rip near the brim of the hat opened and it burst into song!

_I can tell I'm not a beauty, _

_But you shouldn't judge by looks,_

_Intelligence is in my cap,_

_More than is in most books,_

_I can see inside your head_

_To see where you ought to go,_

_But there's no need to be afraid,_

_I'm good at this you know,_

_Maybe you'll go to Gryffindor_

_Those daring hero-types_

_They're well-known for their chivalry_

_It lives up to the hypes!_

_Or you might be a Hufflepuff_

_A kind and helpful bunch,_

_They have no fear of toil,_

_They'll do well, I have a hunch!_

_Then there's brainy Ravenclaw_

_They're smarter than the rest,_

_If you value your wisdom _

_Perhaps Ravenclaw's the best!_

_Or last but not least Slytherin,_

_They're quite a cunning crew,_

_They do what's best for number one_

_And don't worry 'bout you!_

_So now's your time to find your home_

_For the next seven years_

_Try me on! I'll do my best_

_To ease all of your fears!_

The students applauded wildly, as did many of the professors. Professor Longbottom was now seated at the staff table, and a tall slim Asian woman stood beside the hat. "As I call your names from this scroll, come to the stool, place the hat on your head, and wait for it to decide which house you belong in."

"Blake-Sinistra, Edwin," The woman said. A scrawny pale boy who was breathing heavily sat on the stool and placed the hat on his head. "Ravenclaw!" it bellowed. "Bones, Wesley" was next, and he was also a Ravenclaw. Next came Caraway-Zabini, Sloane, a dark-haired girl who seemed to be made up of all angles. She was made the evening's first Slytherin. The Slytherins clapped appreciatively, but across the hall there were a few boos. Lily was disgusted. That girl hadn't done anything to hurt any of them! Slytherins were treated so poorly for no reason, before they'd ever had a chance to do anything wrong. Lily stood and glared irately at one of the Gryffindor boys in question, her eldest brother James. Several names were called before she began paying attention again. Through her irritable reverie, she heard, "Finnegan, Damien!"

Damien sauntered over to the stool and dropped the hat down over his eyes. Before he had even sat down the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" Smirking, he stood up and dropped the hat back on its stool, smirked back at Lily, then headed to where Albus was scooting over to make room for him.

Next was "Finnegan, Rowan!" who tried to seem as confident as her cocky brother, but failed. She sat down on the stool and chewed anxiously on her nails as the hat deliberated inside her head. It took a while, but eventually roared "Ravenclaw!" and Rowan's face relaxed. Lily watched as Rose's face drooped in disappointment that her sassy protégé wasn't in her house.

Janowictz, Markeeva then went to Ravenclaw, and Kline, Louis to Hufflepuff. Lily lost track as she tried to read Rowan's lips telling her something from across the hall, and was shocked back to attention by Lynx, Madigan joining Slytherin's ranks. Madigan had rosy cheeks and pretty dark curls. Lily vowed never to judge anyone by their house, ever! "Larkspur, Kyle," spent quite some time waiting for the hat to make up its mind, but was eventually sent to sit with the Gryffindors, then

"Potter, Lily!"

Despite the fact that there were several Potters at Hogwarts right now, the whispers still raced 'round the room like wildfire.

"Potter?"

"Another Potter?"

"Why sort her?"

"We all know where SHE's going."

Stiffly, Lily lifted the hat to her head and sat down.

"Another Potter then?" the hat mused. "Lots of daring and nerve, like the rest, but something else. Cunning! Ah, yes, quite a dose of cunning! Very bright, and with a desperate need to prove yourself, to make a difference? Oh, you will darling, I know just the right house to be sure of that…

SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted to the Great Hall. To Lily it seemed as though it had been shouted to the heavens, to the whole bloody world. The word echoed through the silence that followed it. Lily could think of only one rational course of action. She smiled serenely, stood up and set the hat back on its stool, and walked calmly to the head of the Slytherin table to wait for someone to move over and give her a seat.

For a few gut-wrenching moments it seemed as though no one would. Then Scorpius Malfoy budged leisurely and gestured to the space beside him.

"You didn't listen to me. You're drenched!" she heard him whisper.

Lily looked up at him somewhat angrily. "I'm afraid of water. I nearly fainted!" She paused, then mollified slightly. His warning had saved her quite a shock. "Thanks for the heads up. I didn't know we'd be on the lake until you told me not to fall in. If I hadn't found out, I'd have really panicked," she said awkwardly.

Scorpius rolled his eyes at her, and said sarcastically, "Hopefully you won't drown in your soup."

Lily peered across the room to where Rowan was sitting. Ro stared at her with a look of pure horror. Damien did the same from the Gryffindor table, as did her entire extended family along with him. Lily didn't bother looking up at sweet, impressionable Hugo. He'd probably already disowned her in his head. She stared down at her empty plate, trying to control her tears as seemingly millions of eyes ripped into her from every direction.

Her attention was drawn away from her plate-staring when she heard, "Last but not least, Weasley, Hugo!" called. Hugo quavered on the stool as he waited to be sorted. The hat eventually shouted "Ravenclaw!" which surely disappointed his sister, but Hugo was obviously ecstatic. Lily grinned. Hugo was such a nerd.

The woman who had read the names then cleared her throat. "I," she began, "am Professor Corner, Headmistress of Hogwarts, and I would like to make a few announcements before you all delve into your fantastic feast. First of all, the Forbidden Forest is, -ahem- FORBIDDEN to all students. That name should explain this to you, but just in case some of you were wondering, you really need to stay out of there. Also, I have been asked to remind you that magic in the corridors is strictly forbidden. And now," she motioned to the tables, "Your feast!"

Lily looked in front of her and was shocked to see everything she enjoyed eating (and a few things she didn't.) Scorpius Malfoy consistently passed her foods that were absolutely fabulous, and she had soon stuffed herself. During dessert, the Bloody Baron seated himself beside her. Lily saw that he was staring at the Ravenclaw ghost, and remembered what her father had told her about Helena Ravenclaw. , "She was selfish." She told the Baron, "It's not your fault." He stared at her, shocked. "Just talk to her. If she won't listen, she's a waste of time." The Baron floated away, and finished her tomato soup before reaching for a slice of baked Alaska. Maybe this Slytherin thing wouldn't be too bad.


	5. Lipstick Therapy and Earning her Rights

""Tell me baby, what's your story?  
Where'd you come from and where you wanna go this time- oh!  
You're so lovely, are you lonely?  
For giving up on the innocence you left behind?"

"Lipstick is my drug of choice," Lily thought moodily as she settled into her room in the dungeons, placing tube upon tube upon tube in neat rows across the small dresser at the foot of her bed, arranging them from palest pink to darkest maroon, the bloody reds she preferred in the middle. Her fingers shook as she placed each tube delicately and precisely in its rack. The other girls were long since asleep, but Lily just couldn't settle down. This evening had been exceedingly terrifying, especially once dinner had ended. Lily sighed and thought back to how her night had progressed.

"First years, follow me!" a voice had called from the end of the table. Lily looked up and saw a tall, slim, and very bony girl frowning at her. She jumped out of her chair and followed the small crowd of little Slytherins. When she turned back, Scorpius nodded at her, then winked encouragingly. Lily half smiled, then turned back to move with her classmates. Her new head girl spoke very little, only telling the first years that her name was Azerali Gates and to follow her, quickly please. They wound their way down all the way to the dungeons, through trapdoors and down spiral staircases and behind tapestries. Lily worked her hardest to memorize the route, and was silently glad that as a first year she had family rights to use of the Marauder's Map. Then she wondered how the Marauders would feel about her sorting. She sighed.

They soon arrived at the slimy wall that lead to the Slytherin common rooms. Aserali said sternly to it, "Salazar," before entering without so much as a backward glance. The firstyears scuttled after her to be sure they wouldn't be left behind.

"Girls' dormitories are on the left, boys' are on the right," Aserali said. "Your things ought to be at the foot of your bed. Breakfast is at 7." And with that she was gone, off to socialize with her own friends before bed. Without a word, the nervous firstyears headed for their appointed stairways, Lily at the end of the line.

The other girls snottily ignored her and turned their noses up, but this didn't really bother Lily. She didn't much care for other girls, finding them rather tiresome, and was glad that she was left out of their shrill gossip and whiny complaints. Hopefully the boys would be a bit more intriguing. Boys were much more fun than girls, Lily reasoned. If they didn't like you, they were quite clear about it, and they generally weren't malicious outside of cruel jokes and the occasional fight. Not like catty, backstabbing "ladies." She snagged a muggle novel, the Haunting of Alaizabel Cray, and a can of Monster from her trunk and headed for the common room to sit and read. Some girls came down after her, but she cared little about what they did with their time. That is until she heard what they were gossiping about.

"Well I heard that her family's going to disown her," one said nastily.

"I heard her brothers are pretending they don't have a sister," replied another.

"She hasn't the slightest chance of fitting with US," a third told them airily, "She's much too…"

"Yes, yes, she's not enough a girl," the first finished impatiently, and they all tittered and looked at her, expecting a reaction. Another girl sat with them, looking at her with indigo eyes and a curious expression and a touch of pity. Lily just sipped her drink and turned a page. Far be it from her to give those twits something new and exciting to talk about. She would be boring, not at all the fresh meat they were hoping for.

One by one, everyone in the common room went to bed. Even those who had lingered the longest, watching her curiously as though she might do a trick, eventually wandered sleepily up their gender's staircase and headed for dreamland. Not Lily, though. Insomniac Lily with an energy drink under her belt and a whole lot of thinking to do sat staring into the fire, contemplating ways to make these people respect her, let alone like her. Idea after idea was turned over in her mind then shot down. Was there a way to get through to them? She was pondering so deeply that she almost didn't hear the creaking of the boys staircase as a group of them entered.

Their wands were not drawn, but they were clearly looking for a fight. Five or six of them, all between their third and sixth years at Hogwarts, all glaring at her as though she had done them some serious injury. Lily sighed. She'd seen this coming. Taking off her glasses and placing them alongside her book on the end table, Lily rose from her chair and lifted her wand. A big ugly boy grabbed her arm and held her still, and the others laughed. She fought the urge to roll her eyes at their barbarianism. They were really underestimating her if they thought this would be all they would have to do to intimidate the daughter of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, or any girl with two older brothers at that.

She twisted her arm violently; leaving the boy confused as to how her arm had left his hand, and hexed him with the only spell she knew. Then she spotted him: Scorpius Malfoy.

He was lurking in the stairwell looking horrified, and began to raise his wand. Fear suddenly bubbled up and coursed through Lily's veins: if he entered this fight they'd all hate him as well. Not to mention, if she didn't beat them alone they would never respect her. _This is my fight_! She mouthed. A slim, weak-looking boy dived at her and she automatically swung and punched him in the jaw. Before she could see if she'd done any damage, there was a sharp jerk at her scalp. Someone was holding her in place by the hair.

Their ringleader was in her face now. "What the hell did you think you were playing at, coming here like you belonged?" he spit.

Lily thought of what was said about facing wild animals.: show no fear. She grinned ferally instead. "I'm a better Slytherin than any of you. Cunning, and looking out for number one. And I'd like to propose a deal to you losers. You have three choices: a) you can walk away and we'll pretend this didn't happen. B) I'll beat the crap out of you and you'll back off from now on, or c) one of you will put your big-boy pants on, actually beat me up, and put me in the hospital wing."

The ringleader seemed to like these odds. "I'll take my chances between b and c. I can't quite see you getting out of this situation, Miss Mouth."

Lily laughed hollowly. "Think again."

She lifted brought her wand up, quick as lightening, to her hair, and muttered the spell her mother had used when she was five and had gotten bubblegum stuck in her locks, and it cut off in the boy's hands, leaving it a bit longer than shoulder length. She spun around on her heel and hit him before he knew what had happened. Now Lily got in the ringleader's face.

"Rule number one: never underestimate your opponent," she hissed, trying to hide her shakes of fear and shock. Before he could catch on to her panic, she hit him in the face. Hard. Then she headed briskly for her bed before anyone could see her eyes filling with tears. Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder. She wheeled around, ready to defend herself.

It was the boy whom she'd just hit. "I won't underestimate you again," he told her. "And I won't threaten you either. Little girl, you're one scary witch. I respect that." He offered her his hand. "Welcome to Slytherin."

She shook his hand then watched him and his friends walk away, trying vainly to calm her racing heart and keep her tears behind her eyes where they belonged. When they were out of sight and she was about to break down, a voice shouted across the room to her.

"Potter!" Scorpius Malfoy called. "I'm impressed."

Suddenly all of Lily's anger at the entire situation boiled over. "What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing?" she asked angrily. "Did you want this to happen every time I wasn't paying attention? If I hadn't done that myself those boys would have killed me next time!"

Scorpius' cheeks flushed, and he looked very uncomfortable, not to mention angry. "I'm sorry I was concerned about your welfare! Make no mistake; I won't be bothering to be in the future!"

"Good!" she cried. "I can take care of myself! I am capable, intelligent, and above all a Potter. **You** needn't butt into my life next time!" Then she ran to her dorm before someone else could call her out on something else.

Behind her she heard an angry voice shout, "You won't last too long without my help! You can do a lot with brute strength like that, but you sure as hell can't make friends!"

Lily's tears spilled over. _Good,_ she thought. _If he isn't friends with me he won't have problems with the other Slytherins and their violence and ridicule. If he isn't my friend I can't hurt him any worse than I just did. And that's worth being alone._


	6. Mrs Primadonna, This is Yo' Reminder

"If I could write you a song to make you fall in love I would already have you up under my arm,  
I used up all of my tricks, I hope that you like this, but you probably won't, you think you're  
Cooler than me."

-Mike Posner and the Brain Trust, Cooler than Me

Scorpius laid in bed, staring at his silver-and-green hangings. That poor girl had been rejected by all of those vain, prissy little first year girls. Worse, the older students had been plotting violence. Scorpius did nothing to stop them…for now. Usually threats against girls blew over quickly, and surely none of these cowards would really stoop low enough to hurt a small, frail-looking girl?

Scorpius sighed. They would. Of course they would. Foolish as they were, they didn't understand how pathetic injuring the defenseless actually was. He rose from his bed and looked around. As he'd expected, a few boys were missing from his dorm. Dylan Dolohov, one of the most brutal boys Hogwarts had ever seen, was among them. Scorpius put his wand in his pajama pocket and started out of the room. He hurried down the hall and stealthily entered the common room. What he saw before him blew his mind.

There they were, ganged up on her as he'd expected. However, he hadn't expected to find her holding her own against 5 or 6 boys all bigger than she. She obviously needed help, but not an awful lot. He watched in awe as she twisted out of Kieran Donelly's grip and jetted a Bat-Bogey Hex his way. That was way above the level of a first-year with not a single class under her belt. It seemed to be the extent of her offensive magic, but it was rather effective. Scorpius raised his wand to help her, but she glared at him and shook her head violently. _This is my fight_! She mouthed, before punching a skinny boy Scorpius recognized as Marcus McKinley square in the jaw and knocking him unconscious. One boy then grabbed Lily by her hair and the others surrounded her.

"What the hell did you think you were playing at, coming here like you belonged?" Dylan asked icily, spitting slightly.

The girl smiled at him. "I'm a better Slytherin than any of you," she said with a voice full of hard determination and a mouth full of blood. They gaped at her. "Cunning and looking out for number one. And I'd like to propose a deal to you losers. You have three choices: a) you can walk away and we'll pretend this didn't happen. B) I'll beat the crap out of you and you'll back off from now on, or c) one of you will put your big-boy pants on, actually beat me up, and put me in the hospital wing.

Dylan grinned predatorily. "I'll take my chances between b and c," he said, causing her to grin more brightly. Dylan looked at the boy holding her hair, then back at her. "I can't quite see you getting out of this situation, Miss Mouth."

Lily laughed at him, a hard, cold laugh. "Think again."

What happened next was almost too fast for Scorpius to see. Lily lifted her wand, hissed out a spell, and severed her hair from her head where the boy was holding it. Suddenly he had no grip on her at all. She swung at him and he was down before he knew he wasn't holding her in place. The other boys had already backed down, and suddenly Lily was nose to nose with Dylan.

"Rule number one: never underestimate your opponent," she hissed, and with that she punched him in the nose and broke it. She turned away and headed for her dormitory, and Dylan went after her. Scorpius was about to intervene, but for the second time that night he was shocked out of it. The bloodied older boy put his hand on Lily's shoulder.

"I won't underestimate you again. And I won't threaten you either. Little girl, you're one scary witch. I respect that." He offered her his hand. "Welcome to Slytherin."

She smiled and shook his hand. "Thanks," she said. Dylan turned and walked back to the dormitories, and his shell-shocked cronies followed.

Scorpius made his way out of the shadows. "Potter!" he called. She turned around. "I'm impressed."

Lily tossed her head and gave him a dangerous glare. "What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing?" she asked angrily. "Did you want this to happen every time I wasn't paying attention? If I hadn't done that myself those boys would have killed me next time!"

Scorpius' cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry I was concerned about your welfare! Make no mistake; I won't be bothering to be in the future!"

"Good!" she roared back. "I can take care of myself! I am capable, intelligent, and above all a Potter. **You** needn't butt into my life next time!" With that she turned on her heel and stormed away.

Scorpius, who couldn't remember the last time he'd felt the hot sensation of anger, couldn't resist shouting after her, "You won't last too long without my help! You can do a lot with brute strength like that, but you sure as hell can't make friends!" Then he too stormed off.

"Mrs. Prima Donna, this is your reminder, that you think you fine, but I'm finer!"


	7. Fantastic Friends & Awkward Apologies

"It just take some time, little girl in the middle of the ride, everything, everything'll be just fine,  
everything, everything'll be alright, alright."

-the Middle, Jimmy Eat World

Eventually Lily did manage to fall asleep. She also managed to be the first in the dorm to wake up and shower. When the other girls were just rubbing the sleep from their eyes they saw Lily in front of her mirror with a large array of cosmetics strewn in front of her, trying desperately to cover the dark circles under her eyes. She heard the silent one from last night whisper, "Not much of a girl, eh?" and snicker, and she tried her best not to giggle. This girl had big dark blue eyes like a midnight sky, a white complexion, and nearly white hair. Even her lips were pale. Lily was interested in her immediately.

But the pressing matter now was lipstick. What shade said, "I'm a first year Slytherin and I could still whoop your butt…yet I'm sophisticated and attractive and wise beyond my 11 years?" She eventually chose a red that was a bit darker and less bloody than yesterdays, and topped it with a shimmering clear gloss, then pouted. Perfect. She then rimmed her eyes with kohl and applied a generous amount of mascara. Her first day of class was not a momentous enough occasion for her to use false lashes. She sighed. Too bad, that.

The girls were still dressing when Lily left the dorm. All but the faded-looking one, who followed her out and grabbed her shoulder. She tensed, and the girl looked at her wickedly.

"Do they scare you?' she asked with a laugh.

"Not really," Lily said matter-of-factly. "They just irritate me. They're loud and boring and they have nasally voices." She kept walking, and the other girl came too.

"I'm Bethanie Rowle," the girl said, offering her a hand.

Lily shook it. "Lily Potter," she said.

Bethanie laughed. "As if I didn't know. Good luck avoiding your fame here."

Lily grinned wryly. "Or anyplace else for that matter."

The two girls sat down to breakfast in the Great Hall, chattering about their homes and their families and interests, getting to know each other and becoming fast friends. Then Lily noticed Scorpius Malfoy looking at her from down the table with a mixture of hurt, anger, and strange approval. Lily grimaced and looked away, hoping Bethanie hadn't noticed.

She had, of course. "Why is Malfoy looking at you funny?" she asked, and Lily had to tell the story of last night's occurrence, including her fears for Malfoy's social status if he kept hanging around her. Bethanie was a fantastic audience, gasping at all the right points and even letting out a low whistle at Lily's hair-cutting maneuver. But at the end she rolled her eyes. "Lily, Scorpius Malfoy is delicious, and every girl at Hogwarts looks at him in awe. Not only did he deign to lower himself to your first-year bottom-dweller level, he wanted to _be your friend._ Do you understand what that means?" Lily shook her head, confused. "Lily, you would be golden! If the godly Scorpius Malfoy approved, how could anyone else not? If anyone could fix your pathetic social status, it's him. Besides," she said with a devilish grin, licking her lips, and wriggling her eyebrows, "he's one fiiiiine piece o' meat."

Lily giggled, and then went serious. "I already blew that though," she said, sighing gustily. "He hates me. He even yelled at me!"

Bethanie gaped at her. "Scorpius Malfoy doesn't yell," she told her. "He rarely speaks above a library voice. Quiet, cold, and refined. Never angry or loud. Did you break him?"

"Possibly," Lily said thoughtfully, taking a bite of oatmeal with raspberries and cream.

Breakfast was a comfortable event, but ended much too quickly. Next came Charms, which was interesting, but not very challenging, and Transfiguration, which was both. Then she had double potions with the Gryffindor first years. Lily sighed worriedly. Her first encounter with Hugo since the sorting…and with Damien. _Wonder if he's still obsessed with me? _She thought wryly.

It turned out not to be as bad as she'd expected. Apparently Hugo had gotten an owl from his mother telling him to please be particularly kind to me after "this unexpected and shocking turn of events," and assure her that both she and Uncle Ron had her full support (although Ron's was somewhat grudging.) Hugo told her that he would have been her friend anyways, but maybe I should avoid Rose for a while. Damien was a bit cold at first, but warmed up to me when he overheard me telling Hugo what had happened last night in the common room.

"Way to go Bitsy!" he crowed, punching the air. "You show those thugs who's boss!"

The class itself was very enjoyable. There was something comforting about the simmering of a cauldron, the crackling of a fire, and the simple cutting and measuring that all came together to become a shrinking solution. It was by far her favourite class, and Professor Verandah was a calm and collected woman who didn't mind a bit of idle chatter so long as the work got done. Lily left the dungeons satisfied and ravenous, ready to head to lunch and explain Damien to Bethanie, who had sat through their conversation looking rather nonplussed. Without even noticing, she seated herself next to the ringleader from last night. Bethanie sat across from her and gave her an odd look, but not until she went to ask him to pass her the edamame did she realize who he was, and her face went white as a sheet. He just laughed genially.

"Didn't properly introduce myself yet, did I?" he asked. She shook her head."I'm Dylan Dolohov."

She relaxed and smiled. "Well Dylan, mind passing me the edamame?" she asked.

He grinned and handed her the steaming dish. She smiled and thanked him, then saw Scorpius Malfoy looking up the table at her in disgust. She smiled sweetly at him, as if to say, _See, I've made friends, _and dug into her eggsalad sandwich. Bethanie elbowed her.

"Don't provoke that poor boy," she scolded. Lily started to protest, but Bethanie simply arched on eyebrow and Lily slumped. "I know it's hard, but you really do need to swallow your pride and apologize."

"But I'm not sorry!" Lily cried.

Bethanie sighed. "At least tell him why you acted like you did."

Lily liked that idea even less. Giving people an insight into her mind, her heart, how she worked, just didn't appeal to her. But Bethanie was right. Scorpius had been extremely kind to her and deserved to be treated better. "I will at dinner," she promised her friend, who looked skeptical, "when I've decided what I want to say."

The rest of the day flew by, and suddenly it was time for dinner, and Lily still hadn't the foggiest idea what to say to Malfoy. She started by sitting beside him. Bethanie sat a few seats down, smiling encouragingly at her. The food was served, and Lily helped herself to black bean soup and rice, then touched Malfoy's arm, her heart racing. He turned towards her as though in slow motion, and her heart nearly stopped. She managed to squeak out, "Could I have the sour cream?" then hid her face. Why was she so embarrassed? Nothing embarrassed Lily Luna Potter! _Get ahold of yourself, girl! _She thought angrily. As Malfoy coolly handed her the condiment for her soup, she drew a deep breath. _This is it!_

"I just wanted you to know I'm sorry for how I acted last night," she said stiffly. Lily wasn't any good at apologies, despite her vast experience with her brothers. "I had a good reason, but I really don't want to explain that now. I didn't mean to upset you."

Malfoy regarded her coldly for a moment, then gave her a small smile. "Forgiven. In any case, I was wrong as well. Your violence and sarcasm do seem to have gained you a few friends," he said, looking at Bethanie, who nearly swooned when they made eye contact.

"Yes," she said cautiously. "I would like to be your friend too though, if that interests you still."

He seemed to seriously consider the offer, then gave her a kindly smile. "I think that could be a possibility," he told her.

Suddenly the soup and rice looked wonderful, and Lily was starving all over. "Sounds good to me," she said brightly, before digging in. Maybe this whole thing wouldn't be as bad as she'd thought.


	8. It's Working

"_It's working in your blood,_  
_but you know it's not the same as love,_  
_love is only in your mind,_  
_and not your heart,_"

~MGMT, It's Working

**3 Years Later**

"Bitsy, get the hell out of bed!" a voice shouted irritably, followed by a muffled banging on her door. Lily sighed and threw back the covers. It was September first, time to head back to Hogwarts. She climbed out of bed and dressed quickly, knowing she was the last one to wake up, only taking her time on her makeup. Ruby lipstick (matte), smoky eyes, lengthening mascara. Then she dashed downstairs in hopes that the boys hadn't eaten all the breakfast. It was too late.

"Jeez, what took you so long Lil?" James asked through a mouthful of food. "There's nothing left but toast!"

Lily glared at him, and was about to give a scathing reply, when her mother intervened. "I just finished making some pumpkin muffins Lily, they're still warm, and there's soy butter in the refrigerator. James, don't bait her like that."

Lily munched on the sweet muffin thoughtfully. "When do we have to leave?" she asked.

"Now," her father said as he walked into the room, snatching a muffin off the kitchen counter.

"Long night?" Albus asked.

"Very," he said, sounding exasperated. "Never mind that now though, go get your trunks."

Lily was about to stand, but James waved his wand and the trunks came hurtling down the stairs one by one.

"James don't do that!" Ginny gasped, swatting him with a wooden spoon.

"Your mum got run over with a trunk when your uncle did that," Harry said quietly, hiding a snigger.

"Shut up Harry!" his wife replied irritably, brandishing her spoon again.

"Let's get moving," he said hurriedly, grabbing Lily's trunk and hurrying towards the front door, winking at lily as he went. The rest of the family followed and quickly piled into the car. The drive wasn't long, but it was full of teenagers complaining.

When they arrived, the kids said their goodbyes, Lily's somewhat tearful as usual. Once they were on the train, they went their separate ways.

Lily stepped into her usual compartment to find Bethanie already waiting for you.

"Hey honey, long time no see!" she said excitedly. "How was your safari?"

"Africa was fabulous!" Bethanie gushed. "I met a boy-"

The compartment door slid open and Damien and Rowan walked in. "What about boys?" Damien teased.

"Shut up, devil child!" Bethanie laughed.

"Oh come on Bethy, don't be angry with me," Damien pouted.

Hugo walked in next, waved, and kissed Rowan on the cheek before settling down next to her.

"Where's Scorpius?" he asked in his usual soft voice.

"Here," a cool voice said from the compartment door.

"I thought you were sitting with your other friends again this year," Lily said, confused. Scorpius smiled and sat down next to her.

"That was my original plan," he told her, reaching into her bag and stealing one of the Monster cans she had stashed away. "But I would much rather ride with my...erm, young friends."

Lily glared at him. "Stay out of my Monster," she told him levelly, snatching the can from his hand and taking a sip, before grudgingly handing it back. "Why do you have to share my addictions?"

"Because you were willing to share a sip with me. Your fault."

"Let's play exploding snap!" Bethanie cut in.

Soon everyone was involved in an enthusiastic game of exploding snap. One game became two, then more, until the next thing they knew they were arriving at Hogwarts.

"Remember when we first started here?" Ro asked with a laugh.

"And Lily fell in the lake!" Damien shouted. Lily shivered and shot him a glare.

"That was you!" Bethanie exclaimed. " I couldn't remember who fell in when the others were making fun of you, but now it makes sense!"

"Tammi Parkinson right?" Lily rolled her eyes. "What a skeezy little skank." The group settled into a carriage. "Wonder what Thestrals look like," she mused, motioning to the front of the carriage vaguely.

"They're interesting..." Scorpius said softly. Lily looked at him curiously, but the conversation continued in another direction, presumably to keep Scorpius from feeling awkward.

The carriage arrived at the castle, and everyone headed to join their separate houses. "See you later!" the called to each other. One would think the houses would be a little more split up, divided. But not quite.

See, things had changed a bit since Lily's first year. James and his friends had used the Room of Requirement to hang out when they were separated into different houses, and still did. So did Albus and most of the other Potters and Weasleys, plus any friends they made along the way. Now Lily and her friends were privy to the secret as well, and Hogwarts' elite from all four hosues occupied the room as their own private lounge. When they weren't at clubs, activities, or classes, most of this quickly growing group hung out together, getting along surprisingly well.

So being divided into houses didn't have to split up friendships so sharply anymore, and although Lily went and sat with Scorpius and Bethy quite happily, she was glad to know her time with Ro and Damien wouldn't be quarantined to summertime and breaks. Thinking about her friends had actually caused Lily to completely miss the sorting. Suddenly, food appeared in front of them.

"Want a steak?" Bethy teased, pushing the plate towards her.

"No thank you," Lily shuddered, leaning away from her friend and grabbing some basmati rice and ladling herself a bowl of sweet ginger soup. "Disgusting, hormone-injected, dead cow muscle..." she muttered, and the other two laughed at her. She looked up to see Scorpius smiling slightly absently.

"Earth to Malfoy!" she said, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Sorry love, was spacing," he said smoothly.

"Don't call me love," she said automatically, blushing. 'Why am I blushing?' she thought irritably. 'It's just Score, he always calls you love.'

Dinner went on, with much sarcasm and teasing, and soon the trio was headed back to the dorm.

"Goodnight ladies," Scorpius said to them, eyes seeming to linger slightly on Lily. Her face went slightly pink again, and she muttered back, "night."

As soon as the girls were back in their room, Bethanie grabbed Lily by the hand and spun her around. "Spill, woman," she directed.

"What are you talking about?" Lily replied, puzzled.

"You and Monsieur Malfoy!" she exclaimed.

"Obviously, there's something going on with you two. Come on, don't be stupid!" she admonished. "Don't lie to me..."

"There's nothing happening!" Lily protested, shaking her head emphatically. "Really," she added in response to Bethanie's eyeroll.

"Okay...maybe nothing's going on.._.yet_," she said. "But mark my words, it's coming."

"What-_ever_," Lily laughed, throwing herself down on her bed. "You're ridiculous." Still, she couldn't help but wonder what had changed...


End file.
